Role of Public Health in Disaster Preparedness

illustrated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it is crucial not only that various organizations are well prepared for disasters but also that there is a clear understanding of who is responsible for handling the various preparedness and relief efforts
For this Discussion, select a particular kind of natural or man-made emergency. Examples might include: avian flu outbreak, suspicion of an anthrax attack, hurricane, or terrorist attack. Come up with a scenario in which this emergency might occur and think through who would be in charge of that incident, how the federal, state, and local resources would be coordinated, the ways in which state and local agencies and officials would need to work together, and other significant issues and questions that might come into play when managing this emergency.
Give a brief description of your emergency scenario and then respond to at least two of the following questions:

• Who would be in command of that incident?
• How would the federal, state, and local resources be coordinated?
• How would state and local agencies and officials need to work together?
• What laws, rules, and regulations are important in this situation? What other significant issues might they need to deal with?
• Who is liable if something happens to a person who is helping with the relief effort?
• How might the national incident management system (NIMS) come into play in this situation?